Tuesday, January 15, 2013

New claims in Kawhia cop bashingA relative of a man accused of beating Kawhia cop Perry Griffin says the constable used unnecessary force trying to arrest his attacker, and claims video footage contradicts a police version of events.

The man - who witnessed Friday evening's alleged attack and is also facing charges in relation to the incident - said the accused, Jackie Maikuku, had been drinking with friends on Kawhia wharf when he was spotted by an off-duty Constable Griffin.

The man had promised to release footage from the video but backtracked after talking to his lawyer. He said the video would be provided to the court as evidence. He did release still images.

...isn't 24 hours a long time in the news cycle? Yesterday it was a tale of a poor local cop being beaten by a mad max society out of control with the only answer being to arm the Police (while ignoring that the cop had a gun and that it was turned against him).

The NZ Police can ALWAYS count on the mainstream media to immediately adopt Police spin from the outset. Whatever story paints the Police in the best possible most uncritical light is always the first spat out by a compliant media more concerned with keeping their contacts with the Police safe than telling the truth. The difference now is that with every cell phone doubling as a video camera the cops can be seen in all their unflattering glory.

Remember the terrible tale of woe the media spun for us yesterday? A poor solo cop trying to arrest a man mountain who was exposing himself in public? Oh the horror, oh the humanity.

Now of course we get a very different version don't we? An off duty cop spotting someone being chased for traffic violations. Isn't it interesting that the locals didn't step into help after the cop unloaded 2 cans of pepper spray into the face of Jackie Maikuku? They decided it was the cop who was being the aggressor and didn't step into help because he's the one being the problem, not Jackie Maikuku.

After all the talkhate radio knee jerks screaming to arm the Police, it turned out that in the Dargaville case, the Police under orders from the Exclusive Brethren had inanely decided to arrest one teenager on private property for some billboard vandalism. The crowd was clearly unhappy with this decision and lack of any actual evidence to justify an arrest and in a panic the cops opened fire with pepper spray, accidentally spraying a 9 year old full in the face. It was only then that the crowd turned on the cops and beat the snot out of them. Likewise in the Kawhia case we now see a very different version of events that went from the claim a youth was exposing himself in public to an off duty cop wanting to arrest someone for bloody traffic violations.

How the hell have we got to a place where we actively want the Police to draw glocks for fucking traffic violations?

Using the Fire Service as back up thugs is a disgrace.

In a democracy, the Police rule with our agreement, citizens won't step into help cops if they judge the Police as being the problem. This is a judgement issue and evidence of an arrogance that won't ever be solved by giving them more bloody guns.

But of course, we can all rely on the mainstream media to never have that debate.

if you are involved in any encounter with the Police, immediately start recording the event because you can be assured the Police will lie through their teeth and your recording will be the only reliable witness.

^ this.... and if you can't record it, then do not say anything to police.

Mr. James Duane, a professor at Regent Law School and a former defence attorney, tells you why you should never agree to be interviewed by the police:

@Kuzibro . Exactly . The dickhead broke the law , ignored court directives and got nabbed fair and square by a cop doing his job . Said Dickhead thought he'd tough it out by trying on the ' Immovable object meets unstoppable force ' thing by waving his muscles around and puffing out his chest . For traffic fines !? What ? It's the Dickhead not the cop who's pushing cops closer to getting guns . And it's the job of the cops to enforce the Law , not rewrite it on the street on a case by case basis . If that were the case we could just slip them a hundie and be on our way . And have you ever lived in a country where that kind of thing goes down ?

Dickheads are the product of the society they live within . If you want less Dickheads , change society and nurture and maintain your democracy . I wonder if the Dickhead voted ? The smart dissenter would understand and cultivate a close relationship with the cops . They're at the battlefront trying to keep some semblance of order and safety for us all while the neo liberal , corporate , monster making machine manufactures ever more of them , then feeds them booze from supermarkets to create the prison fillers of tomorrow .

' Jackie Maikuku, had been drinking with friends '

You Dickhead ! You've made it just that little bit harder for everyone because you're lazy , arrogant and careless .

I learned the hard way NEVER speak to the police. Give them your driver's license (if you have it on you) your name, address and occupation. Then simply respond: "I understand what you are saying, but I cannot say anything further." Repeat until they give up.

There are fools out there who have a warped idea of dissent, flouting laws repeatedly and proud of it, considering themselves as some type of folk hero for doing so while making no profound moral stand. Likewise there are those in the police who regard themselves as above the law and behave like legalised thugs.

If anyone wants a fairer, moderate police force the best thing is to maintain a low profile. Don’t foolishly flout laws, abide by them. If there’s less incidences of crime then any increases in police power are going to look fishy.

If anyone encounters any police behaving like thugs, be calm, compliant and do your best to record the situation. There’s the best evidence to expose them. Smartphones are cheap and getting cheaper.

My major compliant about traffic infringements, they seem to be a revenue gathering exercise. In the past you would receive a warning for minor infringements more often than today. Today, cross the line a little and it’s an instant fine. Everything is in the name of safety.

I wouldn’t be so praiseworthy of the police. The Arab Spring demonstrated that the police were the most loyal henchmen to their despotic leaders. I’ve heard from my father many stories of during the war, under occupation, your countrymen in the police were often worse than the Germans. When the country was occupied, only a small minority of pre-war policemen left the force, the remainder happy to serve their new masters.

Idiotic dissent could be found in the last election, many I’m aware of who didn’t vote believed they were boycotting the election. Opposed to National, their impact only backfired. The logic in their decision is anyone’s guess.

Conversely, I’m aware of many who voted for National. When you had a conversation with them, it was immediately apparent they were ignorant to the issues. They self-flagellated themselves by voting for National.

We can record police action now, but how long will it remain that way?

In the US, some states it’s illegal to do so. Wiretapping and eavesdropping laws are used against you.

If such laws were enacted here we shouldn’t be surprised, going by this government’s track record it can only be expected.

@ Paul Mannering . That's precisely what I mean by having a Police force that doesn't write the law on the fly . Unless you're arrested , all you're required by law to tell a cop is your name , date of birth and occupation . And then , once arrested you have the right to have a lawyer present during any interrogation . ( Am I wrong ? )

And if you break the law , you have the right to be arrested and if you resist arrest , you will be over-powered and removed to a holding cell pending a court appearance and I have to say , with the utmost respect generally . Savage beatings and disappearings at the hands of the cops are rare in NZ and if they do happen , all Hell breaks loose and heads do roll .

@ Procrastinator ; It's my view that the NZ police can be seen as a barometer of the level of public involvement in the way our country is governed . If the cops are seen to be getting out of control it's not the cops fault per se . It's the fault of politicians and if politicians can do as they please then the responsibility for that lies with us , the voters and citizens of this fare country . That's why it's called a ' democracy ' for those of us who've forgotten the definition of 'democracy' in our enviable times of plenty .

I watched a young women off the street being asked how she felt about a certain political event on TV the other night . She snorted with a grimace , you know that look ? A kind of arrogant/proud to be ignorant sneer that only the terminally stupid can pull of with any kind of conviction . She said ' I dunno , I don't care ' Snort ! Giggle ! . I thought ' Right ! ' Electronically tag her and track her and if she doesn't vote in the next election , deport her to Iran .

The very rot in NZ society at the tip of the foundations of the teetering cluster fuck that is our runaway , greed-meister politicians raping our country with it's consequential collateral damage ... is us .

Compulsory voting is an absolute priority in my view . You can't be seen to be breaking laws then when you get caught you just can't say ' Hang on a minute Cop ? ! I haven't finished me beer with me mates so fuck off will ya ? !

You can't say you're a NZ'r / Aotearoan and whine about injustice or have the right enjoy our fabulous lifestyle and privileges if you don't vote ! " I don't care ' is the wrong fucking thing to say so why is it so fashionable ? Don't answer that . I know why that is .

A tactic where by NZ'rs are drawn together or forced together is essential to our survival as an evolving society .